Divide
by Avillie
Summary: In my mind, I have a perfect vision of what the next X-Men movie should look like. Every now and then, I get a burst of creativity and add to this story-my hope is that I can create my own trilogy with all the ideas I have stuck inside my head. Just need some awesome fans to help steer me in the right direction!
1. Chapter 1

_~ Prelude ~_

The earth was wet; drenched with a rain even the swamplands had never seen, and though many welcomed the change many more feared it.

A long drought had been plaguing the people of Louisiana, making them crazy; the sudden onset of water only worsened the madness.

Soothsayers and other such self-proclaimed prophets were to blame for the chaos, yet they were treated as gods—as if appeasing them would somehow stop their foretold apocalypse. As these liars cashed in on their falsified futures, riots began within neighboring villages and the unsettling havoc spread. Friends turned to enemies and families divided; hundreds died needlessly, all blinded by their desire for survival.

To some, however, this warring world was nothing new. For generations, rival gangs had ruled the streets. Stealing and killing had been their way of life; it was all they knew. And, while some were desperate to change and rise above it all, others could not.


	2. Chapter 2

**New Orleans, LA**

"You sure abou dis?" A man asked; his Cajun accent full of uncertainty. "Wha' bou da diable?"

Normally, he wouldn't whisper; not in her house. But today he had reason to keep quiet.

They were alone.

"Wha if the devil knows?" He asked again, burying his face into her neck. His dry fingers twirled golden locks of her hair as he listened to her heart beat, but she was in no mood for cuddling.

"He's a damn fool!" The woman snapped, pushing him back. Her hair bounced with her smile as she continued. "He don't suspect a thang! Thinks we be getting married, uniting the guilds, 'an livin' happily eva afta!"

They both smiled, oblivious to the man listening in on the other side of the bedroom door. He stepped back, his red eyes looked down at the engagement ring he held in his palm, and then he left.

**[Weeks later]**

**Xavier Mansion, NY**

The sun was shining bright for the first time in months, and though life, for the most part, had continued as normal, all was still not well at the mutant haven.

Ever since the funeral, there had been an incurable emptiness in the mansion. Even when the young children were laughing and playing outside, nothing seemed right.

Storm had taken over the school with the aid of friends both new and old. Dr. McCoy and Mr. Warrington (the Third) were primarily in charge of teaching, while Logan and the other volunteers maintained order. The older students filled in when needed, especially when their teachers were spread too thin, or were out on missions, as they were now.

Storm and Logan had taken the Jet and flown to a small town outside of Boston in hopes of tracking down a controversial, 'superman-like' mutant who'd been protecting the area. No one had ever seen him, or could even verify it was a 'him,' but whoever it was had been stirring up bad press. Logan had called for the cavalry, but Storm insisted on being discrete. They settled on taking their own form of transportation, in the event a quick-escape was necessary.

They'd been gone for a while, and as mentioned before, the students had to pull the extra weight until they'd return. Running a school, especially a school such as Xavier's, was undoubtedly tiring.

An exhausted young woman sat at the edge of a balcony watching the birds fly. Her surroundings were a blurred mystery; she could see the colors and hear faint sounds of kids running and laughing in the distance, but, in her trance, she saw only the fuzzy, smudged birds fluttering around the mansion front.

With a blink of her eyes, everything became focused. She blinked a second time to clear her mind and turned towards building, where she thought she had heard someone call her.

She smiled half-heartedly when she saw it was Bobby.

"Rogue," he repeated her name, "hey."

"Hi," She replied happily as he sat down beside her, but she waited for him to speak.

"'Been lookin' all over for you!" He grinned; he could tell she wasn't really glad to see him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing,"

"C'mon, something's bothering you… Are you still having those dreams?" He pried.

It was no secret that things had been different since she'd given up her mutant abilities, but Bobby had imagined things would have been better. Instead of happily living out her power-less days, Rouge had been suffering. Partially out of regret, and partially out of fear.

Without her powers, she felt a strong sense of disconnect in living at the mansion among the other "gifted" students; almost as though she'd somehow betrayed them. She felt started at, like she stuck out, and yet she feared that this would only be true for so long. Deep down, she feared that her powers were only gone temporarily, and that they would one day return. A small piece of her almost prayed this was the truth—so she could once again fit in—but a bigger half of her refused to admit even that.

"I just hope it's…" She stopped. She didn't even want to think of having her powers back; she did want to be normal. "I just wish I knew why."

"Me too." He replied eagerly; but he hadn't even picked up on the fear in her voice. "But it's like Storm says, stress causes uneasy minds."

He had intended that comment to be helpful, but instead he could see how it irritated her.

"Heh, Bobby, if I was dreamin' about goin' to school in my nightgown, or… burning the place down, I might believe you, but these dreams are different. They're real. Prophetic even. I just wish the Professor was here to make sense of it all."

"We all do, you're not alone." He lamented.

"Well I sure do fell like I'am, sometimes. Nobody believes me, but these nightmares—they're going to come true—I know it. Some already have."

"Rouge." He said calmly. She had never been this upset about anything, and he'd rarely heard her speak enough to pick out her accent.

"I'm serious, Bobby, I said last week the rain would stop today, and look, it's beautiful out. I knew about that museum robbery before it even hit the news! And the mishap of Beast's experiment with the substances he got after that last X-Op?—I dreamed that too! Coincidences, stress, overactive imagination—not even my powers would be a good 'nough explanation. Somethin's happenin' to me—" She stopped before she could even finish her sentence, and closed her eyes as if listening for something.

"Rogue?" He studied her carefully, but she swatted him quiet.

"Shh, Do you hear it?"

"Hey, listen, I believe you." He tried again, but she only snapped.

"Bobby! Quiet!"

She pressed her eyes together, as tight as she could. Her head bobbled as she focused, but in seconds she was smiling again.

"They're back!"


	3. Chapter 3

She ran down the halls as modestly as she could, wondering in her heart why she needed to see them so badly. They had only been gone two days, and their mission was easy—a walk in the park compared to some of the hells they'd been faced with since Xavier's death.

Still, something deep down told her to run.

"Logan!" Rogue cried out as the engines were silenced and the Blackbird's ramp touched ground. She waited, watching two figures exit. A smile spread across her face, but as they came closer she realized the man with Storm was not her dear friend.

"Rogue," Storm acknowledged with a tilt of her head as she walked past. The stranger followed with his head hung low, glancing up only once with his black eyes.

She felt her heart lunge into her throat and instantly forgot her question. She might have said "hi," or welcomed the stranger, had he not knocked her breathless with a single look.

The two continued on without a second thought, leaving the young girl standing in silence. She shook her head and wondered if she was dreaming again, gulped a breath of air, and closed her eyes.

x

"You okay, kid?" A friendly voice growled, "Look like you just saw the devil'r somthin'"

Logan.

She laughed, shook her head again, and looked up to see him, standing in front of her with a sour look on his face. He smelt a bit worse now than when he had left, but other than that, he hadn't changed.

He studied her for a moment trying to figure out her silence, but she just smiled. "Who was that?"

Now she studied him, watching carefully as his eyes shifted. "Some fool from Cajun-country. We picked'em up on the road, er, trip."

"Is he the one that contacted us?" She asked again.

"Don't know; he hasn't said more than two words since we found'm. Just that he needs help."

Logan could tell by the look on her face, she was thinking. He didn't know what, but he knew something was up. Perhaps another of her dreams-come true or one of those de ja vu feelings?

Whatever it was, he didn't like it.

"Keep an eye out for that guy, somthin' ain't right with'm. I can see it in his eyes."


	4. Chapter 4

"You see the new guy? I hear he's really cute." Kitty giggled, aimlessly stirring the peas before her. Three days had passed since the three had returned, and nothing was known about the stranger.

He stayed locked up in the guest room all day, ate next to nothing, and kept silent whenever anyone dared to visit—not that many dared to. Because of this, rumors spread across the small campus like wildfire. Storm tried endlessly to stop them, but she couldn't help but wonder herself.

"Really? Bobby said he looked like death, and Wolverine keeps saying if you look him straight in the eyes you'll turn to stone." Jubilee replied rolling her eyes; the thought of a mysterious, dangerous new bad-boy was a dream come true, but she knew Kitty all too well. That girl would find a four-eyed mop-head with a top-hat adorable.

"Storm thinks he's a spy, too." She continued, "That's why she locked him up away from the rest of us!"

"They've said no such things," Rogue laughed, somewhat annoyed. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Then how come he hasn't so much as look at anyone in the three days he's been here. How come nobody's seen'm? If he's not a spy, he's got to be one dangerous mutant if they're keeping him locked away like that!"

Rogue's head dropped, and Jubilee took notice. But Kitty missed it all, and with widening eyes, she asked, "What's his power?"

"I told you, he turns people to stone with his dead eyes!" Jubilee dropped her hand in frustration.

"Don't listen to her, Kitty." Rouge laughed, "She doesn't know what she's talkin' about."

"And you do?" Jubilee snorted.

"Yeah, what do you know, Rogue?"

She sighed. "I know you two are gonna be late for Physics if you don't get a move on!"

Kitty dropped her fork and looked at her wristwatch. Rogue was right—it was almost one o'clock. She grabbed her bag, picked up her tray and phased through her seat at the picnic table "See you after class!"

Rogue chuckled, but Jubilee was indifferent. She waited impatiently for Kitty disappear and watched as Rogue turned away again. "So, what? You met him, or something? Did you look in his eyes? Did he turn you to stone?"

"Do I look like I been turned to stone?"

Jubilee's mouth fell open. "So you did see him? What's he look like? Is it true about the eyes? The dead part, anyway? Tell me."

But Rogue only sighed, "Dr. McCoy doesn't appreciate tardiness, Jubilee."

"How do you know? You haven't been to a single class since you…" She stopped mid-sentence as Rogue's eyes met hers in a glare, warning her not to go there.

"All I'm saying is that it's been a while, Rogue. People change."

'Apparently.' Rouge thought. Never in a million years would she have found herself to be friends with Kitty, and, yet, in a matter of months they'd become best friends. She'd always thought she was more comfortable around people like Jubilee too, and here she was, biting her tongue. And Bobby? Things had changed with him too.

Everything had changed.

"Okay," Jubilee laughed, "so before I go, can you please just tell me. Is it true about the guy's eyes? You did see them, didn't you?"

Rogue sighed again and let her eyes drift as she wondered what to say, but no sooner had she come up with an excuse, she heard Storm's voice end the uncomfortable silence.

"Rogue." Storm called. "You had something to talk to me about?"

Rogue closed her eyes again and thanked the heavens Jubilee could no longer harass her. "Why don't we go inside?" Storm gestured, extending her arm towards the door.

"Thanks." Rogue smiled, not long after they had entered the mansion. They continued walking down the hallway until they came to Xavier's office. "I owe ya." She laughed, and despite the awkwardness, the two stepped inside.

"Jubilee can be quite cumbersome at times, but she's a good person." Storm sat behind the wooden desk and crossed her hands, as if she belonged there.

It hadn't taken her long to fill in the Professor's shoes, but no matter how supportive, or caring she was, it wasn't the same. She could see Rogue was struggling with everything, even being there in that office, but Storm didn't know what to say.

"You have been handling yourself well, Rogue, I'm proud of you." She smiled warmly, as Rogue finally settled down. "What did you want to talk about? Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing is wrong." Rogue lied. There were so many things wrong—she didn't know where to start. Her dreams could now be classified as visions, since they now happened during the day. They were also becoming more frequent and harder to interpret. The only two people that might have been able to help her were dead, and yet she could feel their presence everywhere she went. The only viable explanation she had was that her powers were returning—she could almost feel them—but she couldn't prove it, and she didn't dare touch anyone. She knew she still could, but she knew it wouldn't last.

On top of that, she knew the other students were starting to talk behind her back—she, the fool girl who'd given up her powers, was now even more alienated than before. She feared Bobby was drifting away from her. Logan, too, was becoming distant, and grouchier—even to her. She could tell it was because of that black-eyed stranger—yet another issue.

"Is this about your dreams?" Storm asked moments after Rogue had drifted away in thought.

"Nightmares." Rogue corrected. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Whose the man upstairs? The one you and Logan brought back?"

Storm smiled, "If I knew myself, I'd tell you, but the truth is, he's quite secretive. I don't even know if he's mentioned his name."

"I've seen him before." Rogue spoke up.

"Oh?"

"I think so, anyway." Her eyes blinked as she thought about it. "In my dream."

Rogue's mind wandered for a few seconds, but it felt like hours, and when she'd heard Storm's voice, her own eyes widened, and she shook her head to regain her focus.

She bit her lip, fretfully, and nodded her head. "It's just, I wish the Professor was here. He'd know what to do. Jean even. Someone that could get into my head, and figure out what was wrong with me."

"Nothing is wrong with you. And, I cannot read your thoughts, but if you tell me what you're thinking I might be able to help you, Rogue."

"Promise you won't think I'm crazy?"

Storm only smiled.

"There's just these flashes of faces, I'm not even sure whose they are half the time. But I've got this feeling—Something bad's gonna happen. I don't know what, or where, but I know it's gonna happen."

Storm listened with concern and curiosity in her eyes.

"And those dreams I've been havin' –they've been comin' true. And I don't know what I can do about it."

"When did you say they started?"

"After we got back from—Logan?" Rogue had turned in time to see him burst through the door.

"You need to see this!"


End file.
